So, how old *are* the Chinese gymnasts?`

[kandrathe]

This whole "controversy" is just an epic failure on the part of the media. They have the opportunity to actually inform and educate their viewers and instead at every opportunity they just turn to tabloidism and insinuations.

I agree. My wife and I watched the Women's Gymnastic Team event, and our consensus was that it was sad they these children were taken away from their families as young as 3 years old to be trained to become Olympic gold medalists. You also wonder what horrible things might happen to the child that under performs. This Olympics was a demonstration of Chinese nationalism, and establishing in fact their right to be leaders of the world.

The Chinese government actively invests in and engineers the results of the Olympics. This has been known for many, many years. Here is a Time magazine article.

So, while the Chinese performance was impressive, to me it will be tarnished by the thought of the 400,000 children ripped from their families and consigned into sports slavery toiling away in China's 300+ state run sports academies.

Edit: Also in regards to the Chinese women's age. They are on a strict diet regime of 700-800 calories/day when coupled with their training regime stunts development, as per USSR and Nadia Comaneci. This also delays the onset of menstruation. Check out this Salon article interviewing Jennifer Sey, and her book "Chalked Up: Inside Elite Gymnastics' Merciless Coaching, Overzealous Parents, Eating Disorders, and Elusive Olympic Dreams" -- And, that is what happens in the "Free" nations.